Stray Cat Strut?
by Tearatone Maystar
Summary: After the return of Alucard life around Hellsing Manor has gotten dull. That is until a certain feline stray decides to strut about the place. How will the residence handle his childish antics as he searches for new ways to entertain himself? :3 Schro!
1. A Little Wiggle Room

Stray Cat Strut?

Chapter One: A Little Wiggle Room

Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, Bureau Director of the Hellsing Organization, felt a chilly unease as she sat up in her luxurious four poster bed. Her senses, though dulled compared to the days of her youth, and sight cut in half with the subtraction of one eye, were still very much sharp for being in her mid fifties. Her head swiveled around, scanning her retiring chamber for malformaties. Despite nothing looking out of place, she still was not assured of her safety. She had felt something, a presence, if it could be called that; as if someone or something had just been watching her. Could it have been Alucard checking in on her? Nonsense, an act that caring was just out of character for the blood feeding bastard.

She pondered what the sensation felt like exactly. It was familiar, that much was certain. As if she had felt it before; but from where, precisely? There wasn't accurately mal intent, she did not feel as if her life had been threatened or that she was in any way, shape, or form with in the path of harm. Could it have just been something she had imagined then? Or perhaps a feeling which lingered from a dream? She did have trouble remembering the contents of her dreams these days, so perhaps that was the culprit for her alert state.

Besides, even if it was a presence, she had confidence in the night watch: Half a mansion of highly trained soldiers who specialized in combating supernatural forces, and two very powerful night walkers. Yes, there was nothing to worry about, all was fine. All was good. Integra rested her head upon her pillow once more and slowly allowed her remaining eye to close.

And there it was again, the pressure felt when another being watches you! Her eye slip open slowly as her right hand placed its grip onto one of her many hidden hand guns, this one under her down pillow. She gauged where exactly it was she was being watched from. Though this was a difficult task, for it felt as if she was being watched from all around her. Was she surrounded? No, it only felt like one entity… and it was strongest coming from one of her hand carved oak desks, located by a ceiling high window. Good, that would mean she didn't have to pass her blind spot to get a clean shot.

Like a whip she snapped about, releasing one bullet from her weapon into the shoulder of a shadowy figure, which squeaked and toppled over onto the ground. It looked human, and small. Integra was now on her feet, hand gun still pointed at the once again raising being in case it made any movements she did not approve of, and stepped back to a lamp; which she clicked on with her free hand.

Her eye widened with recognition, "You!" She shouted.

"Geeze fräulein, vas shooting me in za arm v'really all zat necessary?" the boy in front of her demanded, hand rubbing where the bullet had entered.

"You're that messenger!" Integra announced, slight shock setting in at seeing a monster she thought annihilated long ago suddenly appear before her.

"I 'ave a name, you know," he said with mock indignant harboring.

"Silence!" Sir Hellsing shouted, "What business do you have sneaking around the room of a sleeping woman in the middle of the night?!" If she remembered correctly this feline boy could not be disposed of by means of gunfire alone, holy bullets or not. Surely someone had heard her shot and shouts though, so any moment now back up should arrive to check in on her.

"Ehh, curiosity, I suppose," the Hitler youth responded, hands now placed on the back of his head as he leaned against her unique ornate desk, "Vhat else doest a cat need?"

Sure enough two heavily armed Hellsing soldiers soon came rushing to the door, knocking furiously and shouting, "Ma'am, we heard shots fired! Are you alright?!"

"Get your bloody arses in here! We have a situation!" their Director commanded. The men entered the room noisily and rushed onto either side of their commander, guns automatically pointed in the boy's direction.

The cat child blinked a few times, but otherwise seemed very unimpressed. Though that isn't to say he didn't appear cheerful. On the contrary, he wore the same smile Integra had always remembered him wearing.

"Ma'am," The soldier to her right began, "we have the target in our sights, ready to fire when ordered."

"Hold your bloody fire!" Sir Integra bellowed, "We have the situation under control, I need him to talk." Not to mention the risk of damaging her room and all its possessions was extremely high at the moment, "Your name, boy, out with it then."

"Ahhhh!" the target squealed in delight, mouth full of happy white teeth as his black cat ears twitched, "I ist Junior Varrant Officer Schrödinger! Or just Schrödinger, if you vish to cut formalities. Good evening to you, fräulein."

"Men,"

"Yes Ma'am?"

"You will hold your fire, understood?"

"Yes Ma'am,"

"Ah ha!" Schrödinger squeaked again, "Zhen doest zhat mea-"

He wasn't able to complete his question though, as another bullet had been fired and found its self lodged into Schrödinger's skull. His wide eyed smile remained as he crumpled onto the floor, blood flowing out everywhere.

"There will be no more of that, boy," Sir Integra huffed, "I am no longer a young girl, and to placate me as such will earn you much worse from this point on."

"My, my," A deep, dark voice filled the room, dimming out the lamp light until it was nothing, from out of the shadows a multitude of red eyes appeared, allowing through their warped surfaces the stalking form of the great vampire, Alucard, "You seem just as saucy as ever, my master,"

"Alucard," Integra breathed out, both in annoyance and relief, "You seemed to have taken your time arriving, we have a situation at hand."

"Oh, I saw," the towering former man confirmed, "That boy standing behind you, correct?"

"Behind?!" Integra shouted, now realizing that the Warrant Officer's body was no longer on the ground in front of her and her men. She turned about face to be greeted with his frame again, standing, no, leaning against a wall and looking rather pleased with himself, not a single wound to be seen.

"Ja!" Schrödinger said happily in his heavy German accent, "You didn't expect me to just dirty zhe place up like zhat, vright?"

"Why you-" Integra started to curse, but her servant decided to speak up.

"Bullets won't work on this one, my master," Alucard said calmly. Schrödinger's ears folded back some at the sound of his voice.

"Then what the bloody hell are we to do with him?" the Director demanded, she didn't like situations being out of her control.

"Nothing," her monster servant responded simply, but with a toothy grin of his own.

"Nothing?" Integra bleated out, "You expect me to just let this… creature to run free then?" He wasn't all together a vampire, but neither was he fully a cat, so she settled with creature to classify him.

"Hey!" the child protested, "I am not just some creature! I'm a cat fvolk! You know, a cuar, a gylphid, a rakshasa. Vell, simply put, a cat boy-" and yet again the youth was silenced by Integra's gun fire, strait through the head.

"I could care less what your species is called; you do not interrupt me when I am speaking!"

"I was wondering when he would show up," Alucard started to say, "to be honest it took him longer than I expected."

"Than you expected?" She stepped back turned to her two guards, "You two are dismissed, we can handle the rest from here," she didn't feel like the possible information she was about to receive should be made public to her troops. They saluted their leader and exited post haste. Integra sighed and addressed her supernatural servant, "Alucard, explain yourself. Do you know something about all this then?"

"I have a guess, is more accurate to say. You see, as I was killing off the three million souls that I had accumulated over my hundreds of years roaming the darkest parts of hell, I would every so often find Warrant Officer Schrödinger and destroy him as well. Only as you can guess this had little effect; even after completely eradicating his remains he would come back when I wasn't looking so as to watch my slaughtering of souls. Finally it was down to just me and him. Nothing I could do would take care of him, and I am a rather creative individual when it comes to the art of killing. I finally managed to reject his existence with in me and we separated. I naturally came back to you strait away, Sir Hellsing. I had grown irritated with the boy and left him to do whatever he wanted."

"Ja!" Schrödinger piped up, now unscathed yet again and sitting cross legged on the bed, "Und I vent on a trip av'round zhe vorld. I vanted to see how much had changed over zhe last zhirty years." His voice caused Integra's remaining eye to twitch with repressed rage. She decided it would be better to just try and ignore him.

"Vampire," she spoke to Alucard, "is he a threat?"

"Only to me, and possibly our police girl, but that is if we either try to feed on him or take in vast amounts of blood like I had when we last fought his war mongering brood. Otherwise from what I was able to tell from the blood of the Millennium troops I had devoured, he is neither abnormally harmful nor can he be harmed."

"Explain what you mean when you say 'abnormally harmful.'"

"Much like any other physical being in this world; as far as battle goes, he is limited only by the weapons he possesses."

"Und I only have my v'one av'arded knife," the youthful cat boy piped up, "vhich ist only to be used on ov'icial Hitler-Jugend duty. Und as Herr Major ist looooong gone, I doubt seriously I vill ever be using it again."

"So you are telling me," the director of Protestant Knights said ever so forcefully, "that am to just do nothing as this… this… reject of a midian struts about my room like he owns the place?"

Schrödinger's ears drooped as he made a frown, "Sister ist so mean…"

Alucard, on the other hand, was smiling as wide as ever, "Would you rather him have the run of the house as we try to pointlessly chase him from place to place, disrupting the faculty and annoying any guests who happen to be hosted by us? And in turn raising unwanted questions about the nature of a nonhuman?"

"Ahh!" the cat child squealed with glee, Integra's heart sank at the sound of it, "zhat sounds like a vounderful idea! I think I'll go have a look av'round!" And before Sir Hellsing could so much as tell him to hold it, he had jumped under the bed, no doubt replacing himself in some other random location on the estate to cause havoc.

"Alucard," Integra growled, "You knew full well he was going to do that even before you opened your ridiculously huge mouth, didn't you?"

"Indeed," the ancient vampire purred.

"Why the hell would you make the situation worse then?!"

"On the contrary, my master, I just made things more bearable."

"Oh you did then? Mind explaining yourself?"

"Certainly, you see, Schrödinger has the tendency to constantly find new sources of entertainment. Or at least that was the impression I got when I fed on Rip Van Winkle. If he felt he was contained to just this room and was unwanted, then the boy might have decided to flaunt his newfound freedom and run amuck about London, or even all of the United Kingdom, just to have us run about on a wild goose chase. Imagine it, reports flying in nonstop from all over our territory of a supernatural child in a Hitler's Youth uniform terrorizing the entire nation. Would you be up to it?"

"So then why suggest the estate?"

"There is plenty to amaze a young mind like his on Hellsing Manor for a long stretch of time. Sure, it might be an annoyance every so often, but at least he would only be our problem, and not the nation's."

"You really think he'll be entertained that long here?"

"Yes, as long as there is always something new to discover. Besides, this should give us enough time to figure out a way to contain him, don't you think?"

"So this is a distraction," it wasn't a question.

"We can think of it as such. Heh, the police girl is returning, I wonder how she will take his presence?"

"You seem just as entertained by all this as he is," Integra pointed out with indignant observation.

"It's been boring these last few years since my return. This might prove to be just what I need to pass the time."

"At all of our expense, no less."

"Would you have me any other way?"

The director scowled and turner her back on her undead servant, "Fine, just don't let this interrupt my sleep again. He's your responsibility now."

"Of course, my master." Alucard inclined his head as he melted away into the shadows. The lamp light began to return, which she had to shut off.

"Git," she mumbled, returning the gun under her pillow and laying her head down atop it, "This had better just be some bizarre dream I won't remember in the morning."


	2. Spin Them Right Round

Stray Cat Strut?

Chapter Two: Spin them Right Round!

"Seras Victoria, resident fledgling vampire of the Hellsing Organization. Specialties include midian disposal, reconnaissance, and earning the praise of her masters!" The young vampire announced happily to the early morning stars.

Seras had just finished her nightly feeding on the scum of the world; rapists, drug dealers, murderers, and gang members were among the like. She found it much easier to pray on humans of this caliber rather than the innocence of society. Sir Integra even commended her on this behavior, saying she was a model that all vampires should take after, and even went so far as suggesting that this included her maker.

She felt that there was finally happiness and peace in her world. She would forever be youthful and beautiful, had a high paying career which she took pride in, traveled often around the world, enjoyed the return of her Master, was comfortable in her ever strengthening vampiric body, and to top it all off there were no major threats to worry about! Sure, every so often a low level vampire would think to make its self known, but they were far and in between. Not to mention hardly a match for the gifts she was bestowed. She had even seen her share of other unholy fiends and creatures, besides vampires that is. There were necromancers, berserkers, dullahans, hermaphromorphs, and even an animated tree which had somehow acquired a taste for human compost. All new experiences and all things she had defeated in combat. This being the basis of praise she got from her vampiric Master.

Yes, she thought as she pushed open the heavy set doors to the mansion she now called home, there was nothing the world could throw at her now that she couldn't handle.

"Guten abend!" a pleasant voice greeted her as she stepped inside.

"And a good evening to you!" Seras responded all too happy to realize right away who had welcomed her home. She had just about walked by Schrödinger when his familiar happy gasp of amazement seemed to make something click in her mind. Nazi, cat child, the secret weapon that defeated her master for over thirty years. Seras abruptly made an about face, hands at the ready to do battle, only to see no one there.

What was it about that young boy? He only looked young but was probably thirty some years older than herself, she remembered that. And that his special ability was to be everywhere and nowhere. What was he doing still alive though?! Did her Master not defeat him along with the other three million souls he loved so much to brag about?

"Where are you?!" the young vampire demanded.

"Everyvhere und novhere, ov course!" the boy chanted just behind her.

The former police woman spun on her heel and locked eyes with her enemy, "What are you doing here? Why are you still alive? Answer me before I destroy… err, destroy… you… hey you! Stop that!"

"Huh? Stop vhat?"

"That! Cleaning yourself with your leg all up in the air and your head down by your… eh, just stop it!"

"Ahhh!" he sounded disappointed, "Vhy?! I'm still a cat you know! I have to clean myselv. I need to! Sister shot me so many times it made me fveel dirty."

"W-well it's not proper! Cleaning yourself in front of a lady, really now. Why am I telling you this? Stand up, you can't do it there."

"Vhy not?" he was becoming stubborn like any brat child wanting their way.

"Because people don't want to see that! Sure when a… a normal cat does it no one cares, that's because it's just a cat, it doesn't know any better, now does it? But you're a… a… what exactly are you?"

"Zhe v'result ov breeding a gylphid vith a human und zhen making zhe child into a vampire." He recited confidently, just like Doc would have.

"A… gylphid?" Seras asked, perplexed, and still in a combat ready position, "What's a gylphid?"

"A cat fvolk." Schrödinger answered cheerfully, tranquil in sitting on the ground feline like.

"Cat folk?"

"Ja! Zhey are a midian too. Sort ov like vherevolves, only cats!"

"Why haven't I heard of them then?"

"Hmmm…" he had to ponder a moment, making Seras feel appallingly awkward, "vell, maybe because ve are almost extinct, just like zhe vhervolves, und soon to be zhe vampires too," the boy, however, didn't seem at all troubled by this fact.

"Oh, I see…" she felt like the rude one now, asking about something that would make anyone feel so alone, "I'm sor- wait! No!" why was she feeling like she was in the wrong? He was the out of place one here, not her! "What are you doing here?! Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

The Warrant Officer closed his eyes and smiled, "I got bored und don't v'really have a home anymore. So I vas zhinking to myselv, 'Millennium ist gone und Germany vould absolutely not have me, vhere should I go?' Und zhen it came to me! I could see vhat vas going on at Hellsing! So now I'm here."

"And you think we would welcome you with open arms?"

"Vhy not? Hellsing has a v'reputation vor taking in strays."

"Is that really how the rest of our world sees us?" Seras asked in a somber and annoyed tone, more to herself than to him.

"It really has become a gathering point for those misplaced by time," A dark voice resonated off of the walls; it was Seras' Master, the nosferatu Alucard. Though she could not spot his tall figure anywhere, so she assumed he only chose to exist by the two blondes in voice.

"Master! Do you know who is here? It's that boy from Millennium! The cat one who… umm…"

"Warrant Officer Schrödinger, the secret weapon that the mad major had developed exclusively to defeat me. I am aware of his presence, though I'm sure only because he chooses to be sensed.'

"Ja!" Schrödinger chimed, joyful as always, "Ifv I vanted to I could not exist here und no v'one vould be able to tell I vas ever avround. But zhat ist no fvun, so I'm here!"

"Master…" Seras was feeling belittled now, "what should I do? How do I restrain him?"

Both Alucard and Schrödinger laughed now, and what the young vampiress found most particularly eerie was how similar both of their laughs were.

"Seras," Alucard began, as if talking to a child, "unfortunately the only known way to contain him has been by my absorption of his being. Of course I'm not willing to disappear again only to have to destroy all of the new souls I have collected. So as you can tell, Schrödinger is like poison to us prowlers of the night, we can't capture or feed on him. Luckily there are no other dangers he can pose against us, so just accept his presence and get on with your duties… Hmm…"

"Oh no," the young woman said aloud, she hated when he used that tone, "What are you thinking now, Master? I know how you get when you start with that sort of coming to a conclusion, and it's never anything good."

"I think I'll leave him as your responsibility, police girl," he would call her that every so often still; just to get a rise out of his fledgling.

Her eye twitched, "M-my responsibility?! But Master, I-"

"My orders are final, obey them!"

Seras let her arms fall, knowing that her Master's telepathic message was over. Of course she never liked being told mannerisms as if she was an ignorant boob; something Sir Hellsing and Alucard shared often when addressing her, but at the same time she knew it was for the better to listen to either of them. That is unless their orders clashed, which happened every so often, then no matter what happened she would be in trouble.

"It was such a good night tonight too…" she closed her eyes and sighed while rubbed her temple, not that vampires could get head aches, but the human reaction still existed inside her.

"It can still be a good night!" Schrödinger piped up.

Seras gauged the cat boy wearily, still uncertain of what exactly to make of him. Sure, Alucard had said he was no real threat, and she couldn't remember any time in the on goings of Millennium that he even so much as raised an aggressive finger at anyone. But still, he had been her Master's downfall! The reason why she had to be without him for all those years! And now she was supposed to keep an eye on him as he waltzed about the place? As if!

"What makes you say that then, exactly?" she pushed verbally, not all too pleased with this new charge.

"Umm, vell, its still v'only an hour past zhe middle ofv zhe night, v'right?"

"I suppose…"

"Ja!" he bounced to his feet happily, "Zhen vhy don't ve fvind somezhing fvun to do?"

The young vampire was about to snap out something along the lines of, "You can go find something fun to do, leave me out of it," but decided it wouldn't be worth breaking a direct order over.

"You look mad," Schrödinger said, now not but a few inches from her face, staring at her with his large childish feline eyes, "ist somezhing zhe matter?

Seras' eyes popped open wide as she shrieked and jumped back a good fifteen feet. The warrant officer yelped himself and covered his sensitive cat ears, cowering slightly from the staggering sound.

"Don't go about startling people like that! Jeeze, you almost gave me a heart attack."

Schrödinger recovered quickly enough, and then bowed his head, looking a little embarrassed, "Ah, I tend to do zhat fvrom time to time. I keep fvorgetting zhat everyone I come across isn't from Millennium, so zhey aren't v'really used to me."

"N-no, it's alright," how come she kept feeling bad for him? Was it because he looked and acted just like a child? That even though he was part of fascist organization he still seemed innocent and care free? She shook her head for the absurdity of it all, "just don't let it happen again, you got it?"

"Yosh!" the Warrant Officer stood at attention and saluted, but with his palm facing outwards and only two fingers pointing, making Seras almost snorted because of how silly his eagerness appeared, "I got it!"

"You really are just like a child, aren't you?" she asked, now not nearly as tense as just a few moments ago. In fact she was almost laughing. That did not mean her guard was down, only that the situation had become less stressful, less serious.

"Ah, vell, zhat ist to be expected…" he was smiling while staring at his toes, he was still fond of his boots from so long ago.

"Expected?" Seras inquired.

"Ja, I mean, it happens to all ofv us, v'right? A vampire's personality changes much slower zhan a human's, especially v'one who vas made fvrom somezhing zhat vas half human to begin vith. I vill alvays be a child, but since I'm a cat too, zhat doesn't v'really bother me. My life ist happy! I fvind just about everzhing fvun!"

"Must be nice, living your life so freely like that."

"Mmm," the boy hummed in agreement, "Und you vere just as happy not too long ago, veren't you?"

Seras could not help but smile a little. When he wasn't your enemy, Schrödinger could actually be an adorable presence.

"See!" the cat child pointed strait at her face, "You're happy again!"

The former police girl closed her eyes and rubbed the back of her neck, "This is so weird…"

"So…"

"Hm?"

"Vhat did Alucard mean vhen he said 'I zhink I'll leave him as your v'responsibility, police girl,'" Schrödinger imitated the vampire as best a child could in his failed attempt at a macho voice, so it all came out sounding comical. Seras had to cover her mouth not to laugh.

"Ah, um, I think he meant that I have to keep an eye on you while you're here. You know, so you don't get into trouble."

"Ha! Boring!"

"What?" her heart sank. If he was going to be troublesome his cuteness levels would seriously drop.

"Zhat's no fvun! I vant to do somezhing fvun!" He was looking around, left and right, with only a speed that the undead could follow. "Vhat ist entertaining here? Und not cards! I'm so sick ov cards, zhat's all zhe soldiers vould ever play vith."

"Its an assignment, those aren't always fun Schrodee… Schrodaa…umm,"

"Its Schrödinger," the boy said simply.

"Schrödinger…" Seras repeated slowly, sounding out each syllable, "Don't you have anything simpler? Like a nickname perhaps?"

"A nickname?" he had to ponder for a moment, "Vell… Rip Van did used to call me Schrö v'from time to time…"

"Schro? Yes, that's better!"

"You're a vampire though, its not like long names are hard v'for you to v'remember."

"Ah, well, it's not about remembering, it's about simplicity. I mean everyone else already has such weird names as it is, why add to it?"

"But I like my name!"

"Well… its not that your name is bad or anything, just… Schro is cuter, isn't it?" she had to say something to stop him from arguing.

"Cuter?… Hmm…"

"And if Rip Van called you Schro, then it's alright, right?" she was speaking to him now how any adult would speak to a child, bending over to be more eye level and not backing down, yet at the same time remaining supportive; it seemed like the right thing to do considering the circumstances.

"Ja!" Schro chimed, switching from reflecting to over joyous in a snap.

Seras stood back up and released a sigh, "Alright, I guess we should find something fun to do then." Although inside she was wondering why her Master would do this to her, babysitting was supposed to be done after she had left the orphanage!

The pair started off into the darkened recesses of the mansion, Schrödinger eventually taking her hand as he happily talked on and on about what he had seen in the last thirty years, and Seras hanging her head in plain defeat. It was going to be a long, stolen night.


	3. Of Smiles and Fangs

Stray Cat Strut?

Chapter Three: Of Smiles and Fangs

If Seras was completely honest with her self then the nights spent looking over Schrödinger were not half bad. True, he could annoy the hell out of Sir Integra when she tried to have a peaceful dinner, only to end up shot several times before he retreated and whined at his watcher's feet. Or when he decided to see what Alucard was up to usually resulted in her being belittled by her Master.

"Can't you at least keep him entertained, police girl?" The great Nosferatu had said, a glint of murder sparkling behind his dark bangs.

The young vampiress tried to explain that she was entertaining the cat, but he could be in two places at one time! Her maker did not accept excuses though, and told her that she needed to try harder.

But other than his curiosity getting the better of him, Schro usually tailed behind Seras like a happy shadow. He paid heed to all she would tell him and usually stayed out of trouble, as long as there was something to keep his attention. The young woman supposed having grown up in an orphanage and boasting a great love for cats all her life had somehow prepped her for this supervision. If she wanted to keep him distracted for a few hours, for instance, then she would simply rent a couple children's movies from town and sit him in front of one of the mansion's large television screens.

"Doc vould never let me vatch any Disney fvilms," Schrödinger had confessed to her one night, "He said it vas bad propaganda."

"You're kidding!" Seras exclaimed, "Your own father kept cartoons away from you?"

"Vell, he vasn't vreally mein fvather. But he vas like vone," the boy's eyes seemed to drift, not paying as much attention to the animated movie which flickered colors around the large dark lounge.

"Yeah… even so, that just seems cruel."

"It vas vhat it vas," Schro shrugged, "I don't mind zhough, because now I can vatch zhese for zhe fvirst time vith you!" He was absolutely beaming, a halo of the television's lights illuminating his hair.

So to say the least he had grown on her. He was downright adorable at times and his curiosity could be used to teach him a few manners, though the police girl guessed that was only because of how fond the boy was of her. Alucard had even gone so far as to title him "Your ward," when he spoke of the cat to her.

It came to pass that the residents and employees of the estate grew used to the Nazi clad youth. And though his mannerisms were immature at best, he still was easy to fall in love with, especially now that he wasn't working for the enemy. Even so, there was still one inhabitant of Hellsing Manor who could firmly state that she was displeased with the boy's continued occupancy.

"Are you absolutely certain this is a good idea, vampire?" Integra asked of her eldest servant, watching from high above as Seras navigated her way through the estate's hedge maze, Schrödinger jumping all about her and laughing playfully, "I don't entirely trust the boy."

"He's blindly infatuated with my fledgling," Alucard answered simply, "As long as he thinks it is what she wants, he'll follow through. So I suggest you present it as such."

"We'll see… And what of the plan to contain him? Have you come up with anything yet?"

"Seras has bought us much time so far, but it has not been enough for me or your men to figure out a way. This plan is to keep him by us and provide more ample time to develop a means."

"I still dislike it," the director huffed, a twinge of annoyance being sparked as she saw Seras bump into the feline child and both hitting the ground, laughing, "he has no manners, flaunts his powers with out a care for decency, interrupts my men constantly, and doesn't show a shred of remorse for the crimes he has committed against God and man."

"All in all," Alucard summed up, amusement dripping off of his voice, "he is a creature much like myself."

Integra swiftly directed her remaining eye toward her undead king, suppressed rage boiling just beneath the breaking point.

He bowed deeply and made his way out of her presence, but not before asking, "So, do I have your blessing to send them up?"

She looked back out onto the sunlit grounds, watching as Seras helped her young friend back to his feet, "We'll do whatever you like to buy us more time," and just as Alucard was about to walk quite literally through her office door she announced, "But I will not have him wearing those absurd garments!"

Meanwhile, down in the elaborate hedge maze, Seras and Schro had become quite lost. They had agreed to suppress their supernatural abilities as best they could so as to navigate their way properly through. However, when reducing their senses to an almost human state, the blonde duo had discovered themselves be quite bumbling. Still, that wasn't to say the activity was not fun.

"I am such a nitwit when it comes to puzzles and mazes, I was never any good at them in the orphanage," Seras half criticized, half joked about her own shortcomings, "It just goes to show how much I have come to rely on my powers."

"You zhink you 'ave it bad?" the boy whined, "I 'ave never actually done zhis before! I 'ave alvays had my pover to be everyvher und novhere, so only being here is wery strange to me. 'Ave ve gone down zhat vay yet?"

"No idea," Seras sighed, "might be as good a choice as any at this point."

And though it took them much longer than they would have liked to admit, the pair had finally reached the large garden fountain in a clearing at the center of the maze. Schro immediately ran toward the flowing water full of delighted laughter and leapt up onto the seat-like edges surrounding the spring. He circled around it several times, tracing his now ungloved hand like a fin through the thin curtains of water. Seras observed him with the enchantment one might have when taking a child to the fair for the first time.

Upon the small one's sixth orbit he stopped dead in his tracks and lowered his ears in displeasure, staring right over Seras' shoulder. Her head snapped around quickly just in time to see her Master Alucard passing through one of the hedge walls, as if it were mist. "Ah! Master, good afternoon!"

Alucard pushed his orange welder's shades high up the ridge of his nose before answering his young pupil, "You are a vampire, you idiot, there is no such thing as a good afternoon for either you or myself. The sun will sap your strength if you walk in its annoying light for too long, and will make you a much easier target for your foes."

"Vhat fv'oes?" Schrödinger interrupted before his female friend could come up with an apology, "I know ov no fv'oes approaching Hellsing. I exist in all places und in no places, und I tell you zhere are no great fv'oes coming your vay." He had hopped down off of the fountain and came to stand defiantly beneath Alucard's unimpressed gaze.

"I might be speaking of the only serious foe remaining to us," the tallest spoke dangerously calm, "Who runs up and down our halls singing praise to a long dead idealism; or blearing his best renditions of his dead comrade's favorite German operas."

"Me?" the boy asked innocently enough.

"Him, Master?" she inquired just as soon.

"Or so our virgin madam feels so," Alucard said with a grin, enjoying how annoyed Schro looked at his Mistress' thoughts, "Police girl, your presence is required at Sir Hellsing's office to receive your next mission briefing. I don't suggest having her wait long." His meaning was clear to her, to stop suppressing her powers out in the middle of the day and to get back inside.

"R-right! My Master! Come on Schro, let's go see what Sir Integra wants," the young vampiress advocated and set off out of the maze and to the mansion, boyish cat at her heels.

Alucard watched the two leave the limitations of his physical eyes before closing them and smiling, "Do I displease you somehow?" he asked aloud, directing his steadfast question just behind his back.

"Ve vere having fvun," Schrödinger huffed behind the larger frame, arms crossed in a clearly immature fashion, "Vhy did you fveel zhe need to butt in?"

"Could this be jealousy I hear in your voice, boy?"

"Me?! Jealous ov you? Ha! I just don't like you intervrupting us."

"It is you who interrupts us. You who comes between me and my creation, between my Master and myself, and between my Master and my fledgling. You seem to forget you are a trespasser and a guest here, no matter how lost you are in the fabric of reality."

"So? Vhat is your point?"

"Only that Seras Victoria already has us in her heart, and you are but a passing phase to her. Ah," Alucard turned about face, "but it seems the look on your scowling little face already knows that if I give the word then she will drop you with out hesitation. She belongs to me and no matter how much you want her, I will always be her preferred company."

"You dried up old vamp!" the boy shouted, throwing his arms into the air, "Seras is my fvriend! She vould never abandon me on just a stupid order! You… you think just because you don't fveed on me zhat I can't hurt you?! Vell I can! I can exist inside your next meal und have you lap me up vith out your knowledge! Doc suggested it many times to Herr Major, but he vanted your death to be your v'own downfall! I can kill you again ifv I vanted to! So don't you dare-"

In a flash of red and white his blonde head was torn from his shoulders and tossed onto the top of the large fountain, followed immediately by his twitching body toppling over into the disturbed pool. What was once clear crystal waters were soon deep crimson gushers.

"You should learn, boy," the red clad vampire said, stowing his oversized pistol back inside his coat, "that no one who resides on this estate, nay, in my territory may give me an order, other than the head mistress," the Mad King jeered and left the bloody scene behind, not very much feeling up to conversing with the brash child any longer, "A little too much like myself, though altogether different. Hmm…"

Meanwhile Seras and Schro had just entered the mansion, door closing behind them.

"Wow, Master wasn't kidding, I can already feel my strength returning now that we are inside. I hadn't noticed that the sun could sap it like that," the young draculina noted, setting foot on the first step of the massive stairs.

"Yeah…" Schro half committed, ears folded close to his skull.

"I mean, sure, I have been in the sunlight before, but I never really paid much attention to its affects on me after becoming a vampire. I guess you learn something new every day, right?"

"Sure…"

"Hm? Something on your mind?" the happy unwoman asked, a bit of concern dampening her mood.

"Ah? Oh, its nozhing, its nozhing! I vas just seeing, um, vhat everyone vas up to," he laughed cheerfully and closed his eyes as he followed her assent.

"Oh?" her tone suddenly became stern and big sister like, "You aren't bothering anyone, right? You know how much trouble we both get into whenever you do."

"Jeez, Fräulein, lighten up, ja? I'm just taking a look avround," he really wasn't at first, but as he said it sure enough there was a Schrödinger lurking in just about every dark corner of the mansion. "Und just so you know, all ov your equipment has been polished up und vreloaded."

"Ah! That's great! Not that I have been bored or anything but I really do like my job. It'll be a nice change of pace to get some fresh night air, you know?"

"Hmm…"

"Yes? You seem to be thinking a lot, Schro."

"Vell, I vas vondering…" he seemed to be distracted again, or perhaps he just had his mind full.

"Wondering?..." she urged on.

"Um, say Seras? You vouldn't mind if I came along to vatch you vork, vright?"

"Watch me on the job, huh?..." she had to think of it for a moment. He seemed so sincere, though this was odd because he could easily watch the happening of the entire world and did not need permission, so why ask now? She put this puzzling question to him, "Well, even if I told you no it's not like that would stop you anyhow."

"Yes it vould!" the feline exclaimed, something like offence splattered against his voice, "Ifv you said no, zhen I vould have to vrespect you…" He seemed to blush now, but he had turned away to face their flank so fast that Seras wasn't sure.

"Ah, well, thank you, that's very sweet of you Schro," she said, genuinely surprised but also quite flattered by his innocent respect for her. Yes, he could be rather adorable. Now if only she could get him to respect everyone in the manor the same way he respected her, or at least leave Sir Integra alone, then she could report that she had made some real progress other than that he loved animated cats singing jazz music.

"Zhank you…" he whispered so quiet only the supernatural could have picked it up. Though what was really bothering him was how hard his heart was pounding in his chest, he couldn't recall ever feeling so flustered before. It was both annoying and exciting at the same time.

They eventually arrived at the boss' large wooden door. Seras asked the boy to please respect Sir Hellsing and not get either of them in trouble, and Schrödinger more than happily agreed to watch his new found English manners, crude as they might be. "I'm becoming a vright limey," he whispered to himself as Seras knocked upon and slowly opened the door to the well furbished office.

"Sir Integra, you summoned me?" the former police officer put forth courteously. Schro was trying his best to stay quiet and still by his friend's side, though his eyes flashed toward every shiny object in the room… how fun they looked to him…

"I called for both of you," Integra corrected curtly, "for I have two orders of business to discuss. The first being your new assignment; we have received intelligence four days ago of a disturbance in the graveyards just south of Padlock Wood. The general public believed it to be the work of grave robbers, for who else would unearth the dead in this day and age? But our sources revealed the work of necromancy. Someone has been raising the dead of not just human beings, but also the corpses of animals from surrounding pet cemeteries.

"A team of seven men were dispatched from Hellsing headquarters two days ago, though we have not received even the smallest transmission since they sent word that they were about to engage. I feel that there is more to this case than just plain necromancy. Therefore your mission is to search for and deal with the offender, find out what happened to my men, and if at all possible, rescue them."

"Rodger!" Seras saluted, then made to leave, but Integra spoke up sternly,

"I am not finished yet, police girl."

"Oh, my apologies, ma'am!"

Schro was doing his best not to snigger, and it showed on his face.

"Right…" the director steamed, "Now as for the second order of business, Ms. Victoria, I have received your request for a pay raise, and quite frankly I am disposed to decline at this time. The only way you can increase your wages is for you to step up in rank, which would give you seniority over some of my men, and truth be told you have yet to show any proper leadership skills."

Seras looked the most affronted Schrödinger had ever seen her, but she had stayed her mouth, so he followed suit.

"However," Integra continued, "I am willing to give you the chance to prove an aptitude for these skill to me," her eye shot to the cat child for a slight moment, then returned to her subordinate, "Does this sound fair?"

The undead blonde girl went from insulted to caught off guard. Her boss had never ask her for her opinion on any matter, well, as far as decision making went anyway, "Yes, that would be generous of you…"

"Then to test your worth as a leader, I will assign one individual to work directly under you for your mission in Padlock Wood. And since you," she redirected her obviously displeased gaze onto the cat boy, "have yet to earn your keep with in my home, I am ordering you to work under Seras Victoria. Bu-"

"V'Really?!" the youth shouted, jumping up into the air and whooping for joy, "Do you v'really mean-"

Integra slammed a stone hard fist onto her desk top to silence the boy, which surprisingly worked wonders, "We will have none of that nonsense! If you are to work under my employ then you will obey my commands! Are we clear, brat?"

The boy straightened up immediately, as loud, unexpected sounds tended to startle him. It was a cat thing, after all. "Ah! Cl-clear!"

Now it was Seras' turn to try not to giggle.

"Seras," Integra, addressed slowly, not taking her sight off of the youngest looking one in the room, "do you accept these conditions?"

The young vampire didn't even have to consider it, "Yes sir! I accept!"

"Good," the Cyclops of a woman said simply, "Then, brat," she was speaking to Schro again, "My first order for you is to change out of those unsightly cloths, I will not have an employee of the Hellsing Organization in such distasteful garments!"


End file.
